The Federal Government has proposed a new 12-year basic education model, but has denied reports that it plans to scrap Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS).
According to a statement by the Director of Press of the Federal Ministry of Education, Folashade Boriowo, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, presented a proposal for discussion at the Extraordinary National Council on Education (NCE) Meeting held in Abuja.
The proposal seeks to migrate to 12 years of compulsory education while retaining the current 6-3-3 structure. The ministry emphasized that the proposal is still a subject of consultation and deliberation, and that no final decision has been made.
“We wish to categorically state that this is not true,” the statement read, in response to reports that JSS and SSS had been scrapped. “The proposal targets the elimination of barriers between JSS and SSS. This, it said, will allow ‘for a seamless transition of students without the hurdles of an external assessment at that stage.'”
The ministry assured that there will be deliberations with stakeholders before a final decision on the proposal is made. “The final decision on whether to adopt this reform will be made at the October 2025 National Council on Education Meeting,” the statement read.
The Federal Government urged the public to disregard the false claim that JSS and SSS have been scrapped. “The Federal Government remains committed to policies that enhance access to quality education while aligning with global best practices,” the ministry’s statement concluded.
